Tenaculum



S. MEEKER Feb. 15, 193@d TENACULUM -Filed March 9,

Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PArENroFFiCE TENACULUM n Sidney'Meekrer, deceased, late of Memphis, Tenn.,

by Lillian yPearl Meeker, executrix, Memphis,

n Tenn.

Application March 9,

4 Claims.

5 provide an instrument of this type which is simple in construction, easy to assemble and disassemble, slender, yet strong, easy to insert or remove, and one which requires little or no dilatation for insertion in the canal.v

A further object is to furnish a traction tenaculum which will evert the lining membrane of the canal in repairing or amputating the cervix.

Another object is to supply an instrument of this kind having a barrel which acts as a guide in suturing. t

Another object is to provide a cervical type tenaculum adapted to hold the cervix iirmly while making a repair, amputation-r a vaginal hysterectomy. l

Other objects are to supply a tenaculum having interchangeable means topermit the same to be used for either cervical or traction purposes, and including a short barrel which will not interfere 25 during the removal of a uterus or tumor mass.

Another object isto supply a traction type tenaculum capable of withstanding many pounds pull before the teeth will cut through.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in they novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view partly in.

elevation of the improved instrument equipped with a rod and teeth for cervical purposes.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the instrument provided with a rod and longer teeth for use when the cervical canal is much larger than the barrel of the instrument, or for traction purposes.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View showing the cervical type tenaculum inserted within the cervical canal and with the teeth in projected position.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the traction type tenaculum inserted within the fundus of the uterus or tumor mass. f

The instrument may be made of any suitable material, such as metal, and it comprises a barrel l closed at its outer end by a removable spreader. These spreaders may be interchangeable, and one may be pointed, as shown at 2 in Fig. 4, or it may 1937, Serial No. 129,942 (Cl. 12S- 353) be `blunt or dome shape as shown at 3 in the other figures. The spreader preferably extends into the barrel and is connected to the latter by screw threads 3a.

A plunger rod l has a portion slidably arranged in the barrel and the forward end of the plunger is connected either to short teeth, as shown at 4a in Figs. 1 and 3, or long teeth 4b, as shown in Figs. `2 and 4. 'If portions of the structure are to be made interchangeable, the teeth may be detachably connected to therplunger by a pin llc orthe like' and for the purpose of the present disclosure it will be noted that the teeth in each instance may be formed of a yoke-shape resilient piece of metal, and the prongs or points of the teeth are adapted to be projected from the barrel or drawn into the barrel through slots 5 at diametrcally opposite sides of the latter.

In order to spread the teeth when 'the plunger is moved into the barrel, cam surfaces 5a are arranged Within the barrel adjacent to the slots 5 and such cam surfaces may be formed on the inner end of the spreader.

A collar 6 is iixed to the outer end of the barrel and is provided with internal threads 'l which cooperate with external threads 8 on a tubular screw 9 that is swiveled on the outer end of the plunger and is prevented from detaching from the latter by means of a nut I0.

Obviously when the screw 9 is screwed into the collar 6, the plunger will be moved toward the spreader and this will cause the teeth to be projected, and after the nut 9 is screwed up tight the instrument can be moved forwardly or back- Wardly while the teeth remain in projected position.

For the purpose of limiting the sliding movement of the plunger relatively to the barrel, the plunger has a longitudinal groove Il to receive the inner end of a screw I2 carried by the collar 6.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art but in reference to the operative technique, it will be noted that the instrument is assembled as shown in Fig. 1. The spreader 2 or 3 is always attached to barrel before the rod and teeth are inserted. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the blunt spreader may be inserted in the canal. Then the plunger is pushed in and the screw 9 is turned to lock the plunger to the collar 6 which may be used as a handle. This will bring the parts into the position shown in Fig. 3 and then the instrument can be moved axially in either direction without disturbing the projected position of the teeth.

The regular cervical type tenaculum shown in Fig. l can be used as a traction type tenaculum in doing a supravaginal hysterectomy on a medium size uterus or in removing a medium sized tumor, but for such use the pointed spreader 2 should be employed in place of the blunt spreader 3, and the long teeth 4b should be used in place of the short teeth 4a.

Such an instrument will hold an object, such as the cervix or fundus of the uterus or a tumor mass or the like, rrnly in its grasp, and when it is attached to the object, it will move it in any direction.

The herein described and illustrated embodiments have given satisfactory results and it will be manifest to those familiar with such instruments that other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended that all matters contained in the above description or shown in the drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A tenaculum comprising a barrel member, a spreader secured to the forward end of the barrel member, a plunger member slidably mounted in the barrel member, teeth connected to the forward end of the plunger member, the barrel member having slots through which the teeth may be projected, means in the barrel for causing the teeth to be projected through the slots when the plunger member is moved toward the spreader, a nutvpart secured to one of said members, and a screw part swiveled on the other member and adapted to engage the nut part for locking the two members against relative movement.

2. A tenaculum comprising a barrel having a substantially dome-shaped head projecting therefrom, a plunger slidably mounted in the barrel, said barrel having slots arranged rearwardly of said head, teeth carried by the inner end portion of the plunger and movable through said slots from a position within the barrel to a position where they project through the sides of the barrel, means in the barrel for spreading said teeth as they are moved outwardly through said slots, and means for locking the plunger to the barrel with the teeth in projected position.

l 3. A tenaculum comprising a barrel, a spreader detachably secured to the forward end. of the barrel and having a substantially dome-shaped head, said barrel having slots arranged rearwardly of said spreader, a plunger slidably mounted in the barrel, teeth connected to the inner end portion of the plunger and movable through said slots from a position within the barrel to a position where they project through said slots, guide means at the inner end of the spreader for causing the teeth to be projected through the slots when the plunger is moved toward the spreader, and means for locking the plunger to the barrel with the teeth in projected position.

4. A tenaculum comprising a barrel, a spreader arranged at the forward end of the barrel and having a substantially dome-shaped head, said barrel having oppositely disposed slots arranged rearwardly of the spreader, a plunger slidably mounted in the barrel, a substantially yokeshaped piece of resilient material connected to the forward end of the plunger. and forming teeth movable from a position Within the barrel to a position where they project through said slots, guide means in the barrel for causing the teeth to be projected through the slots when the plunger is moved toward the spreader, and means for locking the plunger to the barrel with the teeth in projected position.

LILLIAN PEARL MEEKER,

Eecutrix of the LastA Will and Testament of Sidneg Meeker, Deceased. 

